ALTON ORGAN SOCIETY (Founded 1967) ♬♪𝄞 Updated Thursday 3 October 2024

Alton Organ Society's 2024/2025 Season of Organ Concert and
2024 Lunchtime Organ Concerts
Organ Recitals Nationwide

On Tuesday 1 October 2024, we were treated to a truly professional concert given a truly professional musician - Martin Baker. His programme can be seen here. The concert was also a tribute to the late Peter Ashworth - formerly Chairman of the organ Society and joint founder - who was a pupil of Martin. Not only did Martin speak highly of him, with a few anecdotes, but included music much loved by Peter. His opening piece was Mendelssohn's Prelude & Fugue in E minor transcribed for organ by Best which set the scene for sheer technical ability and artistic show. Moreover, the 70+ audience was treated to viewing Martin's skills on manuals and pedals with screen images. Next was a complete contrast with John Bull's Salve Regina in 5 short movements. Bull was notorious in his day being somewhat of a rogue and ladies man escaping justice by fleeing to the continent. The then Archbishop of Canterbury remarked: "…"the man hath more music than honesty and is as famous for marring of virginity as he is for fingering of organ and virginals…" However, his music was delightful and demonstrated the quite stops of the organ beautifully. Peter Ashworth was a fan of Buxtehude and Messiaen so a piece by both was included in the programme. Messiaen's "La Résurrection du Christ" from his Livre du Saint Sacrement - the penultimate in the programme - demonstrated fully the extreme harmonies and colours befitting the resurrection. Messiaen is not universally easy on the ear but it was very popular with many members of the audience hearing it for the first time. Martin demonstrated his skills with perfect deliveries of Bach's Prelude & Fugue in A minor and the opening movement from Widor's Symphonie V in F minor. Widor was another organist who could be a bit naughty but enough…! Martin is renown for his improvisation skills and he saved best for last. Moreover, it was the perfect tribute to Peter Ashworth as the improvisation was based on his name. Martin explained how he arrived at the theme B,A,C,H (B♭, A, C and B♮) but I lost track with his full explanation! He started by playing the simple theme and then embarked on the most astonishing development of variations and recapitulations of that theme. In addition, Martin's virtuosic skill was heard but also seen on the screen as the piece progressed to maximum volume dropping almost immediately to quiet stops and expression. This was an organ concert of the highest standard with a skilful choice of programme. An over riding feeling, also, was the clever way the stops were set giving, where appropriate a mellow sound, particularly during John Bull's works. Sitting in the audience and overwhelmed by both the concert and the tribute to Peter was Peter's widow, Maureen.

The next, and second concert in the 2024/2025 Series, will be given by Mark Shepherd (Concert Organist and former Dir of Music, Charterhouse) on Tuesday 5 November 2024 starting 8.00 pm. Refreshments will be available from 7.30 pm. His programme can be seen here.

The 2024/2025 Season of Organ Concerts have now been confirmed and details are here. If you wish to apply for Season Membership at £60 (equivalent to £7.50 for each of the eight concerts) click here to download an application form..

David Hill MBE organist and International Choral Director, Patron of the Alton Organ Society and currently President of the Royal College of Organists very kindly recorded a CD on the St Lawrence Church, Alton, organ to celebrate 55 years of the Organ Society and to raise funds for the restoration of the Speechly organ. The music was recorded by Herald AV Publications, a specialist recording company, in October 2022. The CD was launched at St Lawrence Church, Alton on Tuesday 4 October 2022. The CD costs £15 of which £3.00 of the purchase price will go towards the organ restoration fund. David's CD was reviewed by Choir & Organ Magazine and copies of that review and Graeme Kay's article on the Society can be seen here. The CD can be purchased from members of the Society Committee, from Resurrection Furniture in Alton and at the Society's Organ Concerts. For further details and purchase of a CD do use the contact page here.

There is a new website that lists national organ concerts (including those held in Alton) and can be viewed here. Please list altonorgansociety.co.uk & Organ Recitals Nationwide among your favourites.